§ Mr. PrenticeWith your permission, Mr. Speaker, and the permission of the House, I beg leave to present a Petition asking for cheap fares for retirement pensioners on the London Transport system. This Petition has been organised by the Needy Old-Age Pensioners Coal and Food Fund Society, an organisation in my constituency which has given wonderful help to pensioners in many ways. It is supported by the signatures of over 10,000 people from all political parties and all walks of life in East Ham and the surrounding districts.
The Petition draws attention to the fact that the inadequate level of pensions means that many pensioners are unable to afford journeys by public transport to visit relatives and to make shopping expeditions, etc., and that they may have to give up such journeys or walk distances which are exhausting and perhaps bad for their health.
The Petition concludes with these words:
Wherefore your Petitioners pray that a system of reduced fares for pensioners be introduced in the London Transport system to enable pensioners on production of their pension book to travel any distance for 3d. between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. and midnight when the buses are not full to capacity.And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.
§ To lie upon the Table.